Stapling machine



M. VOGEL STAPLING MACHINE Filed Nov. 2, 1935 April 2, 1935.

ATToRN EYS Patented pr. 2, 1935 UNITED STATES ragazzi STAPLING MACHINE Max Vogel, Frankfort-on-the-Main, Germany Application November 2, 1933, Serial No. 696,398 In Germany September 1, 1933 14 Claims.

'This invention relates to new and useful improvements in stapling machines:

An object of the invention is to provide a stapling machine including improved staple clinching means whereby staples will have their prongsA bent and flattened against the-underside of the article or articles through which they are driven.'

Another object is to provide a stapling machine including an improved guide or gauge for determining the place at which a staple will be driven into an article by the machine.

Other objects and .advantages will become apparent from la consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein a satisfactory embodiment of the invention is shown. However, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations and modications as fall within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section showing a stapling machine constructed according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view on an enlarged scale and showing the forward portion of the base of the machine; i

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the base of the machine;

Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, the parts being in normal position;

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the anvil means and the support and locking means therefor depressed as at the end of a stapling operation;

Fig. 6 is a front elevational view of the lower portion of the machine, portions being broken away and showing the parts in the positions occupied by them at the end of the initial operation or movement of the machine;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but showing the changes in the position .of the parts as the driving operation progresses;

Fig. 8 is a similar view showing the parts in their relative positions at the end of the driving operation;

Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional view through the base of the machine and showing the mounting for the guide or gauge; and

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of Fig. 9.

Referring in detail to the drawing, at I0 is generally indicated thebody or housing of a stapling machine. This body may be of any desired construction and include any suitable means for f studs.

feeding and driving staples. As here shown, body I0 is pivotally secured to an end portion of a base II as at I2, it being pivoted between spaced upwardly extending ears I2a cut and struck up from the sheet metal base I I, and includes a guide bar I3 along which staples I4 are fed as by a follower IS urged alongvthe bar by a spring I6. As is usual in these constructions the staples, usually as a strip in which the staples are secured together by solder or cement, are fed one at a time into a raceway through which they are driven by a plunger I1 arranged to be operated by a hand piece I8 normally held elevated by a spring I8a. It will be understood that the staple driving means is located in the head `forming the forward portion of the body I0. The forward portion of the guldeway for the plunger or raceway through which the staples are driven by the plunger may be closed by a removable front wall in the form of a plate 20a having notches 20h in its lower edge to receive threaded studs 20c carrying clamping nuts 20d threaded onto the By loosening the nuts or clamps 20d the plate 20a may be lifted from the studs 20c to expose the lower portion of the raceway and forward end of staple strip guide I3.

0n the base Il beneath the head 20 of the staple driving means is an anvil means 2l. To accommodate this anvil means an opening 22v is formed in the base II and to the under side of the base there is secured a platev 23 between which and the base there is shown interposed a iiller plate 24. The rear portion of plate 23 may be of added thickness in which event the plate 24 could be omitted.

the plate 24 stopsshort of an edge of the opening 22 the plate 23 is lanced and has its forward central portion 28 extending across said opening at the lower side thereof and has its forward edge portions extending upwardly through said opening and forming lugs 21.

Mounted on the upwardly extending plate portions or lugs 21 is a support 28 in the form of a cross sectionally inverted U-shaped member and this support straddles the lugs 21 and is secured to them by pins or rivets 29 connecting the side portions of the support and passing through slots 30 in the lugs whereby the support is mounted for limited movement through the opening 22 in the base. In its connecting or top portion the support 2l is provided with an opening 3| (see Fig. 2) the purpose of which will later fully appear.

Mounted in the support 28 between the lugs 21 isa pair of anvil members 32 4each somewhat Rivets 25 rigidly seycure the plates 23 and 24 to the base and while together.

L-shaped. These members arearranged opposite each other and each hasthe end of one o'f its arms pivoted to the supportI as at 33. When the anvil members are positioned as in Fig. 6 they are in their normal or inoperative positions and it will be noted that their curved heel or cam portions 34 are in engagement with the forward portion 28 of the plate 23 and that their free end portions 35, which form the anvil, are at opposite sides of the opening 3| in the outer wall or connecting portion of the support.

A generally U-shaped spring 38 has its arm 31 secured against the underside of the forward portion of the b ase as by a bolt 38 and the arm 39 of this spring extends rearwardly at'the upper side of the base and through an opening 4|) in the support 28. Normally the arm 39 of the spring is disposed against the support 28 at the upper side or edge of the opening 48 therein and when in this position is disposed between the free ends of the anvil members as best shown in Fig. 6.-

When the spring is so positioned it is urging the support 28 outwardly or upwardly to the limit of its movement so that the pins 23 are in the upper ends of the slots 3|)s in the lugs 21. Further, theheel portions 34 of the anvil members are in engagement with or just above plate 23 and the'outer surfaces of said members are against the lugs 21. Therefore, the anvil members are held against movement away from each other about their pivots 33 and since the spring arm 39 is between their free end portions or walls 35a they cannot move toward each other. From this it will be understood that when the parts are as in Fig. 6 the support 28 and the anvil members 32 are locked against movement downwardly toward the base by the spring 38 being located between the ends or shoulders 35a of anvils 32 as it prevents the free ends '35 of these anvils moving toward each other, which they. must do if the support 28 moves downwardly because the anvils are pivoted to the support at 33 and their cam portions 34 engage the top of plate 28.

Now assuming that papers P are to be stapled 'I'hese papers are placed on the support 28 as shown and the hand piece I8 `is pressed. This causes a movement of the body l about its pivot I2 to bring the head 28 against the papers P on the support. The locations of the parts is such that when head 28 is against the support 28 the raceway in such head is opposite or in alignment with the opening 3| in the outer wall or connecting portion of the support. It will therefore be clear that the parts of the papers P through which a staple |4 is to be driven are over the opening 3| and that driving the free ends of the staple .prongs through the paperdoes not take place with the prongs against an anvil.

With the parts positioned as above described (papers P being on the support and head 28 being against the paper) further pressure on the hand piece |8 results in aA staple being forced along the raceway while the support 28 remains stationary with the anvil members locked in inoperative position. Under these eonditionsthe prongs of the staple areforced through the portions of the papers P over the opening 3| and after passing through the papers the prongs pass through the opening 3| to engage the arm 39 of spring 36 as shown in Fig. 6. It is particularly noted that the staple prongs do not engage. the spring arm 38, which arm constitutes a locking means for the Aanvil members, until after such prongs have passed through the articles to ,be stapled, and therefore the support' 28 is held in Iof the staple prongs the anvil members are released so they are free to swing toward each other.

Therefore as the stapllng operation continues' the pressure of head 20 on support 28 causes the latter to move downwardly since the anvil members are no longer held against movement. As the support moves downwardly it carries the pivot pins 33 downwardly with the result that the anvil members cam on their heel portions 34 against plate 26 and theirfree ends move inwardly toward each other. During movement of the anvil members toward one another they engagethe outer sides of the lower or inner portions of the staple prongs and fold such prongs toward one another and upwardly toward the under side of papers P.

When the anvil members reach the positions in which they are shown in Fig. 8 the support 28 is against the forward tongue portion 26 of plate 23 and so is rigidly held and the anvil members are likewise rigidly held, and as the final pressure is applied to the hand piece I8 the plunger I1 is forced to the limit of its movement with the result that the staple is clinched with its prongs at against the papers or other Karticles asln Fig. 8.

.In this figure and in Fig. 5 it will be noted that the spring arm 39 is a short distance above the lower edge of opening 40. The spring is `moved to this position by engagement with the cam surfaces 4| of theanvil members as the latter, moves to operative position, in which position they are shown'in Fig. 8. At the conclusion of the stapllng operation pressure on the hand piece I8 is released and spring |8a raises the plunger. As the body is swung upwardly the support 28 is released and the spring 38 acting through its arm 39 elevates the suppoilil 28 to normal posh' tion and returns the anvil members to inoperative position by riding upwardly on curved cam surfaces 4| and engaging top edge of opening 48. and locks them in such position ready for the next stapllng operation.

From the foregoing it lwill be clear that with the present arrangement of parts a staple is driven through a portion of articles to be stapled located over an opening and does not encounter any serious resistance to movement of its prongs.

However, when the prongs are through the arti- 42 in which are disposed the arms 43 of a gauge or limiting means 44. Means 44 extends transversely of the base and includes an intermediate portion 45 anda pair of upstanding portions 48 which straddle the lower portion of the housing or body I0 when it is lowered about its pivot.

With its arms 43 in the channels 42 the gauge 44 may be shifted or adjusted longitudinally of the base or toward and from the anvil means.

- In the stapling operation the inner edges of papers or other articles may be placed against the portions 46 of means M whereby to determine the place atwhich staples will. be driven into the articles. When the gauge is properly adjusted a series of similar articles may all be stapled at the same distance inwardly of an edge. While the gauge 44 is shown as formed of a single length o f round wire it will be understood that it is not limited to such construction. Since the channels 42 are at the outer longitudinal edges of the base and below the center portion thereof it is clear that the base rests on the lower surfaces of these channel portions and a relatively wide base is therefore provided. The transversely extending portion of the gauge is bent downwardly at 45 to accommodate the body I of the stapling means during a stapling operation.- 'I'he base Il is preferably a strip of sheet metal of heavy gauge, and it will be apbent out of shape.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a stapling'machine including a base and staple driving means movable toward and from the base, a pair of anvil members, means mounting said anvil members on the -base for movement between operative and inoperative positions, locking means normally holding said anvil members in inoperative position, said locking means positioned to be released by the pressure of the prongs of a staple being driven, and means outwardly of said locking means and forming a support for articles to be stapled whereby Ithe prongs of a staple release said locking means after passing through the articles being stapled.

2. In' a stapling'machine including a base and staple driving means movable toward and from the base, a pair of anvil members, means pivotally mounting said members on the base for pivotal movement between operative and inoperative positions, locking means normally occupying a position maintaining said anvil members in inoperative positions, said locking means normally positioned to be engaged by the prongs of a staple being driven and moved out of locking position to permit said anvil members to move to operative position, and means outwardly of said locking means and forming a support for articles to be stapled'whereby the staple prongs engage and move said locking means after passing through the articles being stapled.

' locking means positioned to be released by the prongs of a staple being driven and permit said anvil members to move to operative position, and means outwardly of said locking means and forming a support for articles to be stapled whereby the staple prongs release said locking means after passing through the articles being stapled.

4. In a stapling mac'l ine including a base and staple driving means movable toward and from the base, a pair of anvil members, means mounting said members on the base for movement between operative and inoperative positions, locking means normally occupying a position maintaining `said anvil members in inoperative position, said locking means normally positioned to be engaged by the prongs of a staple being driven and moved out of locking position to permit said anvil members to move to operative position, and. means outwardly of said locking means and forming a support for articles to be stapled whereby the staple prongs engage and move said locking means after passing through the articles being stapled.

5. In a stapling machine including a base and staple driving means movable toward and from the base, a pair of anvil members, means pivotally mounting said members on the base for pivotal movement between operative and inoperative positions, locking means comprising a spring arm normally occupying a position maintaining said anvil members in inoperative positions, said spring arm normally positioned to be engaged by the prongs of a staple being driven and moved out of this position to permit said anvil members to move to operative position, and means outwardly of said spring arm and forming a support for articles to be stapled whereby the staple prongs engage and move said spring arm after passing through the articles being stapled.

6. In a stapling machine including a base and staple driving means movable toward and from the base, a pair of anvil' members, means pivotally mounting said members on the base for pivotal movement between operative and inoperative positions, locking means comprising a spring arm normally occupying a position between and maintaining said anvil members in inoperative positions, saidspring arm normally positioned to be engaged by the prongs of a staple being driven and moved out of position between said anvil members to'permit them to move toward `each other to operative position, and means outwardly of said `spring arm and forming a support for articles to be stapled whereby thelstaple prongs engaged and move said spring arm after passing through the articles being stapled.

7. In a stapling machine including a base and` staple driving means movable toward and from the base, a pair of anvil members, means mounting said anvil members on the base for movement between operative and inoperative positions, locking means normally between and holding said anvil members in inoperative position, said. locking means positioned to be moved to released position by the pressure of the prongs of a staple being driven whereby said anvil members may move to operative positions, and-means outwardly of said locking means and forming a support for articles to be stapled whereby the prongs of a staple release 'said locking means after passing through the articles being stapled.

8. In a stapling machine including a base and staple driving means movable toward and from the base, a pair of anvil members, means mounting said anvil members on the base for movement between operative and inoperative positions, locking means comprising a spring arm normally between and holding said anvil members in inoperative position, said spring arm positioned to be moved to released position by the pressure of the prongs of a staple being driven whereby said anvil members may move to operative positions, and means outwardly of said spring arm and forming a support for articles to be stapled whereby the prongs of a staple release said spring arm after passing through the arti- 'cles being stapled.

9. In a stapling machine including a base fand a staple driving means movable toward and from the base, a support on said base, means mounting said support on the base for movement toward and from the base, a pair of anvil inemserving to maintain said support in its outermost position against the'pressure of said head, said .support adapted to have articles to be stapled placed against its outer edge whereby the prongs of a staple do not release the locking means until such prongs have passed through the articles being stapled, and said anvil members when released adapted to be rocked to operative position as said Support-1S moved by the pressure of said head;` v

10. In a stapling machine including a base and staple driving means movable toward and from the base, a support, means mounting the support on the base Ior movement toward and from the latter, said support having anopening through its outerside and through which the prongs of staples may be driven by said staple driving means, a pair of anvil members pivotally mounted in said support, means normally locking said anvil members in a spread apart inoperative position, said locking means positioned to be engaged by the prongs of a driven staple and moved to release said anvil members, said staple driving means including a portion to thereafter shift said support and rock said anvil members on their pivots to bend over the staple prongs and into positions whereby said staple prongs may bex clinched against articles on the s support.

11. In a stapling machine including a base and staple driving means movable toward and from the base, a support, means mounting the support on the base for 'movement toward and from the latter, said support having an opening through its outer side and through which the prongs of staples may be driven by said staple driving means', a pair of anvil members pivotally mounted in Bald Support, meansnormally locking said anvil members in a spread apart inoperative position, said locking meanscomprising a spring arm'positioned to be engaged by the prongs of a driven staple and moved to release said anvil members, said staple driving means including a portion to thereafter shiftV said support and rock said anvil members on. their pivots to bend overt-the staple prongsand into positions whereby said staple prongs may4 be clinched against articles on the support, and

mossos said spring operative to return said support and anvil members to normal position on the completion of a staple driving operation.

112. In a stapling machine including a base and a staple driving means movable toward d from the base, a support on said base, me mounting-said support on the -base for moveh ment toward and from the base a pair of an members, means pivotally mounting the .anvil members on said support with a 'portion of each anvil member in engagement with the base, said anvil members movable on their pivots between operative and inoperative positions, locking means releasable by the pressure ofthe prongs o! a staple being driven, said locking means comprising a spring arm disposed inwardly of the outer' edge of said support and normally locking said anvil members'in inoperative position, said staple driving means including-a head to press against said support during the operation of driving a staple, said anvil members when locked in inoperative positions'serving to maintain said support in its outermost position against the pressure of said head, said support adapted to have articles to be stapled placed against its outer edge whereby the prongs of a staple do not release the locking means until such prongs have passed through the articles being stapled, said anvil members when released adapted to be rocked to operative position as said support is moved by the pressure of said head, and said spring operative to return said support and anvil members to normal position on the completion of a staple driving operation. l

13. In a stapling machine including a base and staple driving means movable toward and from the base, an upright support mounted for limited up and down movement on the base under the staple driving means, a pair of anvils mounted for movement toward each other to bend the staple prongs and operated by downward movement of the support, and a spring having an arm normally holding the support in its upper position land lying-between the anvils to lock them in separated relation, and said arm when in this position being located under the staple driving means in position for the prongs of the staple to engage and move the arm downwardly to release th'e anvils. y

14. In a stapling machine including a base and 'staple driving means movable toward and from the support to its upper position, said arm when in the .upper position lying between the free ends of the anvils to lock them in separated relation, and said arm when in this position being located nder the staple driving means in position for the Vstaple prongs to engage and move the arm downwardly to release the anvils.

,MAX VOGEL. 

